1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus configured to read an original document to produce electronic data and convert the electronic data into a file.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electronic data such as image data is converted into a file using a certain file format when saved. Among various file formats, file formats which allow one file to include another file in an attached form are known. Such file formats include, for example, Portable Document Format (PDF) and Microsoft® Office (registered trademark) application file formats. Such attachment is made by using a personal computer having installed therein applications compatible with the file formats described above. Attaching a certain file to another file allows users to combine a plurality of files into one file in the file operation to operate the file. Users are also allowed to implement the functions available for only an attached file on a file having the attached file. For example, the PDF encryption function can be implemented on a file to be attached to a PDF file.
The process for generating a file can be performed using not only a personal computer but also an image reading apparatus configured to optically read an original document. For example, as described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2008-306294, an image processing apparatus that attaches a file generated by reading an original document to an electronic mail when transmitting the electronic mail is known.
In the related art, the operation of attaching a file to another file is performed using a personal computer. However, an image reading apparatus that generates a file by reading an original document image does not generally attach another file generated by reading another original document by itself to the generated file. Furthermore, no consideration is given as to what processing procedure to use to efficiently generate a file.
The present invention provides an image reading apparatus configured to efficiently perform a process of generating a file by reading an image on an original document and attaching a file generated by reading another original document to the generated file.